Avoid Cross-Contamination This Holiday Season:
Consider using separate cutting boards for
fresh produce and bread; raw meats, poultry and seafood; dairy products;
and cooked foods. This will prevent bacteria on a cutting board that is used
for raw meat from contaminating a food that requires no further cooking.
You
can even purchase color-coded
cutting boards to help you keep them separate. Thin plastic ones can be purchased for very
little to have several around the kitchen when you need them.
Cleaning Cutting Boards:
Cutting
boards should be washed with hot, soapy water after each use, rinsed with clear
water and air dried. You can also pat them dry with clean paper towels — but
don't dry with a dishtowel. Why? Dishtowels hang around the kitchen and get
wiped on everything, making them the ideal vehicle for spreading bacteria from
one kitchen tool or surface (or even your hands) to another.
Acrylic or plastic boards can be run through a dishwasher, which is a great way
to clean and sanitize them. It's another reason they're superior to wooden
boards, because wooden boards may warp, crack or split if washed in the
dishwasher.
Bottom line: Use plastic or acrylic cutting boards, not wood or glass.
Turkey
Safety Tips:
1. Clean and sanitize utensils and work surfaces after
getting the turkey ready.
2. Wash your hands well before and after preparing the
turkey.
3. Cook your turkey, well, to an internal temperature of 165
degrees Fahrenheit.
Note: The
biggest risk of food borne illness, involving turkey, comes from an undercooked
turkey.
